sweet
1.functions of tonifying 补益 2.harmonizing of middle warmer 和 中 3.regulating （调节）herbal property 调和药性 4.alleviating pain 缓急止痛
sour
1.has the action of astringing （[ə‘strɪndʒ] vt. 使……收缩； 使……收敛 ） 收敛 2.inducing astringency （[ə‘strɪndʒənsi] n. 收敛性； 严酷，严峻） 固涩
the chinese medicine
The Performance of the TCM
(中药的性能）
It
can also called drug properties(药性）, and it mainly conclude “four natures of drugs（四气）”，“the five flavors(五味）”，“channel tropism [‘trəupizəm] （归 经）”，“ascending [ə’sɛndɪŋ] adj. 上升的 and descending [dɪ'sɛndɪŋ] adj. 下降的；下行的, floating and sinking （升 降浮沉）”，“toxicity [tɒk'sɪsətɪ]（毒性）”，and etc.
four natures of drugs
四气
inclination ['ɪnklə'neʃən] n 倾向，爱 好
ups and down of yin ang yang 阴阳盛衰
seminterior phase change 寒热变化
Four Natures of Drugs（四气）

It
Yin : pungent， sweet Yang： sour, bitter, and salty
pungent
1.funtion of volatilization [,vɑlətɪlɪ'zeʃən] （挥发性） 发散 2.promoting the circulation of Qi 行 气 3.Invigorating [ɪn'vɪgəreɪtɪŋ] （使 生 气勃勃 ）the circulation of blood 活血 4.treat exterior [ɪk‘stɪrɪɚ] （ n.外部 表 面） syndrome 解表 such as herbal ephedra ['ɛfədrɚ] 麻黄
bitter
1.has the function of dcpriving( 剥夺) the evil wetness 燥湿 2.discharging ( 下，卸) the defecation （[defə'keɪʃsoftening hardness to dissipate stagnation([stæg‘neʃən] n. 停滞，淤塞) 软坚散结 and defecation
It
The five flavors
五味
The Five Flavors（五味）
It
contains five basic herbal(adj 药草的，草本的) medicines in a prescription（药味）—pungent [‘pʌndʒənt]（adj 辛 的 )，sweet, sour, bitter, and salty . can divided into two parts
It refers to the four properties of drugs, that is, cold, hot ,warm and cool. reflects the body’s effect of inclination(作用倾向）of the ups and downs of Yin and Yang （阴阳盛衰）and the Semiinterior phase change(寒热变化）after the drugs acting on the body.